In 19th and early 20th century newspapers it was common for men to be identified by their initials and surname, rather than by their given name and surname. It is helpful to today's readers to use given (first and middle) names whenever possible. Given names are sometimes found in city and business directories or the U.S. Federal Census.

Avoid using contractions unless they are essential to the voice and tone of the chapter. Use "do not" instead of "don't," "cannot" instead of "can't," and "was not" instead of "wasn't." Contractions within quotes are an exception.